INVENTION GUIDE
INVENTION GUIDE 01 11 01 02 04 BIT INDEX POWER p4 power INPUT i8 proximity sensor i13 light sensor i16 pulse 13 15 17 19 21 23 littlebits Basics Invent a night light Invent an alarm Invent a spinning sign Invent interactive art The littlebits Invention Cycle 5 6 07 10 WIRE w1 wire w19 split OUTPUT o2 long LED o6 buzzer o11 servo o25 DC motor 25 27 29 Make it Move Invention Challenge Helpful Tools & Materials littlebits Invent App 11 ACCESS ORIES a23 mechanical arm
p4 POWER MEET THE BIT Every circuit starts with power. It provides the electricity that makes your Bits spin, buzz, blink, & shine. BIT NOT INCLUDED IN THIS KIT SAMPLE CIRCUIT o2 LONG LED p4 POWER HOW IT WORKS The power Bit converts the 9 volts of electricity in the battery to the 5 volts that littlebits circuits run on. The power Bit also sends a signal through your circuit. Controlling this signal with inputs is how you control your circuit. REAL WORLD ANALOGIES PHONE CHARGER 01 BIT INDEX
i8 PROXIMITY SENSOR MEET THE BIT This Bit beams an infrared light that allows it to sense objects in front of it. BIT NOT INCLUDED IN THIS KIT SAMPLE CIRCUIT o2 LONG LED i8 PROXIMITY SENSOR p4 POWER HOW IT WORKS The proximity sensor is like a pair of eyes for your circuit. It detects objects by using an infrared beam to sense what's in front of it. As the object gets closer to the proximity sensor, more signal will pass to the following Bits in the circuit. MINI-CHALLENGE Can you invent a lamp that knows when you're at your desk? REAL WORLD ANALOGIES BAT VISION BIT INDEX 02
i13 LIGHT SENSOR MEET THE BIT Use this Bit to control your circuits with light! The amount of light shining on the sensor will change how your circuit behaves. It's a great way to activate your circuit without hands and is perfect for alarms! SAMPLE CIRCUIT o25 DC MOTOR i13 LIGHT SENSOR p4 POWER HOW IT WORKS The light sensor detects how much light is shining on it. It has two modes: in LIGHT mode, as the light shining on the sensor gets brighter, more signal passes through to the following Bits in the circuit (making lights brighter or motors turn faster), in DARK mode, the signal increases as it gets darker. Use the purple screwdriver to turn the dial and adjust how much light it takes to change the signal. MINI-CHALLENGE Can you invent something that moves when the lights go out? REAL WORLD ANALOGIES NIGHT LIGHT SENSOR PHOTOGRAPHER'S LIGHT METER FINGER PULSE METER 03 BIT INDEX
i16 PULSE MEET THE BIT The pulse is like a heartbeat that makes the Bits after it turn on and off in a steady rhythm. SAMPLE CIRCUIT o11 SERVO i16 PULSE p4 POWER HOW IT WORKS The pulse is a switch that opens and closes over and over again. When it's open, the signal from the previous Bit passes through to the next Bit. When the switch closes, the signal is blocked. You can change the speed of the rhythm by moving the small slider on the Bit. MINI-CHALLENGE Can you invent something that waves a fl ag back and forth? How could you change the speed it waves? REAL WORLD ANALOGIES FIREFLY TURN SIGNAL CLOCK SECONDHAND BIT INDEX 04
w1 WIRE MEET THE BIT The wire Bit has a fl exible wire running between its two bitsnaps. This allows you to place your Bits farther apart, turn corners, and make connections that can twist, turn, and spin. BIT NOT INCLUDED IN THIS KIT SAMPLE CIRCUIT o6 BUZZER w1 WIRE p4 POWER HOW IT WORKS The wire doesn t change the signal in any way it just carries the signal over from one Bit to another. Each wire Bit is 6 inches (15 cm) long. MINI-CHALLENGE Can you invent a circuit that uses the wire to shine the long LED on the light sensor? REAL WORLD ANALOGIES EXTENSION CORD POWER LINES STRING OF LIGHTS 05 BIT INDEX
w19 SPLIT MEET THE BIT The split lets you connect a single Bit to two others. If you place an input before the split, it will control the two outputs at once, like a single light sensor controlling two motors. The fl exible wires on the split also allow you to place your Bits farther apart and position them how you like. SAMPLE CIRCUIT w19 SPLIT HOW IT WORKS The split divides the incoming signal and sends it to the two output bitsnaps. i8 PROXIMITY SENSOR p4 POWER o2 LONG LED o11 SERVO MINI-CHALLENGE Can you invent a circuit with two parts that move at the same time? REAL WORLD ANALOGIES POWER STRIP HEADPHONES BIT INDEX 06
o2 LONG LED MEET THE BIT The long LED is a fl exible lighting option. We call it the long LED because the light is connected to the board by a cable, which lets you put the light in some interesting places. SAMPLE CIRCUIT o2 LONG LED i8 PROXIMITY SENSOR p4 POWER HOW IT WORKS This Bit uses a lightemmiting diode (LED) to turn electricity into light. The more signal you send the Bit, the brighter the light shines. MINI-CHALLENGE Can you invent a new wearable accessory using the long LED? REAL WORLD ANALOGIES FLASHLIGHT STREET LAMP ANGLER FISH 07 BIT INDEX
o6 BUZZER MEET THE BIT The buzzer makes a sound no one can ignore. It's great at sounding the alarm or annoying those nearby. SAMPLE CIRCUIT o6 BUZZER i8 PROXIMITY SENSOR p4 POWER HOW IT WORKS The buzzer converts the electrical signal it receives into a vibration, which creates a buzzing sound. The higher the signal it receives, the more intense the vibration, and the louder the sound is. MINI-CHALLENGE Can you invent a way to communicate with your friends using the buzzer? REAL WORLD ANALOGIES ding dong! DOORBELL CAR ALARM done! WASHING MACHINE BIT INDEX 08
o11 SERVO MEET THE BIT The servo is a motor that can swing back and forth or be turned to a specifi c position. BIT NOT INCLUDED IN THIS KIT SAMPLE CIRCUIT o11 SERVO p4 POWER HOW IT WORKS The servo has two modes. In TURN mode, the input from other Bits determines the position of the hub try using a slide dimmer to set the angle you want. In SWING mode, the servo will move back and forth on its own like a pair of windshield wipers the input signal controls the speed of the swing. The servo's range of motion is about 110 degrees. MINI-CHALLENGE Can you invent something that uses the servo to clean up your desk? REAL WORLD ANALOGIES TRUCK CRANE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ROBOT bleep blorp 09 BIT INDEX
o25 DC MOTOR MEET THE BIT Use the motor to spin, turn, twist, and roll. A switch on the board lets you choose which direction the motor spins. BIT NOT INCLUDED IN THIS KIT SAMPLE CIRCUIT o25 DC MOTOR p4 POWER HOW IT WORKS The DC (or direct current ) motor rotates a shaft when it receives a signal. The more signal it receives, the faster the motor will spin. The switch on the Bit is labeled CCW, VAR, and CW. CW spins clockwise and CCW spins counterclockwise. When the switch is in VAR (variable) mode, the amount of signal the motor receives from previous Bits allows you to control the speed and direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) of its motion. MINI-CHALLENGE Can you invent something using the DC motor that travels across the table? REAL WORLD ANALOGIES CAR ENGINE DRILL FERRIS WHEEL BIT INDEX 10
a23 MECHANICAL ARM MEET THE ACCESSORY The mechanical arm attaches to both the servo and the DC motor shaft, and offers lots of leverage for pushing, pulling, and throwing. HOW IT WORKS To attach the mechanical arm to the DC motor, line up the DC motor cross shaft with the one of the cross holes in the mechanical arm. For the servo, line up the T shaft with one of the cross holes in the mechanical arm and firmly press. The two large holes on the end are perfect for holding pens and markers in place. Fits a Sharpie TM -sized marker. Fits a pen 11 BIT INDEX
BASICS 1 And MAKE THIS CIRCUIT FIRST play with it! 13
ANATOMY OF A BIT TM Learn how you can tell top from 2 bottom. COLOR-CODED BY FUNCTION Bits TM are grouped into four different categories, which are 3 color-coded. BITSNAP TOP BIT FEET BOTTOM POWER (BLUE) Power Bits, plus a power supply, run power through your circuit. fo u r on the f l o o r! INPUT (PINK) Input Bits accept input from you or the environment and send signals that affect the Bits that follow. WIRE (ORANGE) Wire Bits connect to other systems and let you build circuits in new directions. OUTPUT (GREEN) Output Bits do something light up, buzz, move 4 MAGNET MAGIC! Bits snap together with magnets. The magnets are always right you can t snap them together the wrong way. ARROWS SHOULD POINT IN THE SAME DIRECTION 5 BITS ORDER IS IMPORTANT POWER BITS always come fi rst and INPUT BITS only affect the OUTPUT that come after them. WITH NO OUTPUT BIT AFTER IT, THE INPUT BIT HAS NOWHERE TO SEND ITS SIGNAL IF THE BITS WON T SNAP TOGETHER, TRY SPINNING ONE AROUND AND MAKE SURE THE ARROWS POINT IN THE SAME DIRECTION THE INPUT BIT AFFECTS THE OUTPUT BITS THAT FOLLOW 14
INVENT A NIGHT LIGHT MAKE A UNIQUE PERSONALITY FOR YOUR NIGHT LIGHT, then put your new pal in the pantry to creep out your dad, or under the bed to prank your pet! INSPIRED BY CREEPY EYES
PLAYTIME! BUILD THIS CIRCUIT p4 POWER The p4 POWER sends a signal through the circuit. w1 WIRE The w1 WIRE receives the signal from the light sensor and sends it along to the long led. The wire also gives you more fl exibility in how you position your Bits. i13 LIGHT SENSOR When set to DARK MODE, the i13 LIGHT SENSOR can detect when it gets dark. o2 LONG LED The o2 LONG LED gets brighter the darker your room gets. That's because the light sensor is on dark mode. 16
INVENT AN ALARM START BY MAKING THE ALARM WITH THE LIGHT SENSOR, PULSE, AND BUZZER. This light-sensitive alarm will alert you if someone is snooping around your stuff. INSPIRED BY BACKPACK ALARM 17
PLAYTIME! BUILD THIS CIRCUIT p4 POWER The p4 POWER sends a signal through the circuit. o6 BUZZER The o6 BUZZER sounds when it gets the signal from the pulse, but is quiet when the pulse fl ips off. This changing between on and off produces the alarm noise to scare off the snooper. i13 LIGHT SENSOR The i13 LIGHT SENSOR is in LIGHT MODE. When you open the bag, light shines in on the sensor, letting the signal through to the pulse. i16 PULSE The i16 PULSE Bit is continuously switching on and off. When it gets a signal from the light sensor, it only lets it through in short bursts. 18
INVENT A SPINNING SIGN INVENT A SPINNING SIGN FOR YOUR FORT, OR A CREATURE THAT DANCES DIZZILY ON YOUR DESK. Create this versatile invention and let your imagination run wild. INSPIRED BY SPINMATE 19
PLAYTIME! BUILD THIS CIRCUIT p4 POWER The p4 POWER sends a signal through the circuit. o25 DC MOTOR The speed and direction of the o25 DC MOTOR depends on how much signal it receives from the Bit before it. Because the long led is switching on & off, the DC motor will also stop & go when it's on CW (CLOCKWISE) or CCW (COUNTERCLOCKWISE). To understand what happens on VAR mode, check out the BIT INDEX on the DC motor. i16 PULSE The i16 PULSE Bit is continuously switching on and off. When it gets a signal from the power, it only lets it through in short bursts. o2 LONG LED The o2 LONG LED lights up when it gets the signal from the pulse, but is dark when the pulse fl ips off. This changing between on & off produces a fl ashing light to attract onlookers. 20
INVENT INTERACTIVE ART INVENT INTERACTIVE ARTWORK THAT CAN WIGGLE AND DANCE ON YOUR COMMAND. Bring the walls to life with unique moving masterpieces you create with imagery from magazines, a poster on the wall, or the art you made in school. INSPIRED BY MOVING COLLAGE 21
PLAYTIME! BUILD THIS CIRCUIT o11 SERVO The speed of the o11 SERVO depends on the amount of signal it receives from the proximity sensor. The more signal it receives, the faster it swings. w19 SPLIT The w19 SPLIT takes the signal from the proximity sensor, & sends it to both the servo and the pulse o2 LONG LED The o2 LONG LED switches on and off only when the proximity sensor sends signal through the split, and activates the pulse bit. p4 POWER The p4 POWER sends a signal through the circuit. i8 PROXIMITY SENSOR When the i8 PROXIMITY SENSOR detects a hand over it or a person in front of it, it sends a signal to the Bits that follow. The closer you get, the more signal it sends through. i16 PULSE The i16 PULSE Bit is continuously switching on and off. Because it's on the other end of the split, it will only affect the long led, and not the servo. 22
THE LITTLEBITS INVENTION CYCLE The littlebits Invention Cycle is a roadmap for your invention journey. Each phase is full of activities and questions that help you explore your ideas and develop your invention. DO I HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE LITTLEBITS INVENTION CYCLE EXACTLY IN ORDER? Nope! If you want, you can remix while you play or share while you create. Each phase of the invention cycle represents a different way of thinking and making. They work well in order, but a good design process is always a bit messy.
CREATE SHARE THE LITTLEBITS INVENTION CYCLE PLAY REMIX CREATE PUT SOMETHING TOGETHER. You can build it from the instructions or make something from your imagination. Don't worry if it doesn't work or if it isn't perfect. The important thing is to create your first prototype so you have something to experiment with. REMIX IMPROVE YOUR INVENTION. Keep experimenting! Add new Bits, swap parts with other inventions, or take all the pieces apart and put them together in a different way. PLAY! USE IT! Playing with what you ve created is fun, but also an important part of inventing. Playing is like a test run. It s a chance to see how well your invention works and look for ways you can make it better. SHARE INSPIRE OTHERS. Show the world what you ve created on the littlebits Invent app. Get inspired by exploring what others have shared. Create, play with, and remix other inventions. This is how awesome new inventions are born. 24
MAKE IT MOVE USING BITS! When did movement begin? You might say it always was. As you read this, no matter where you are (as long as you re here on Earth), we re orbiting around the Sun. We live on planet full of movement, and we see it every day, from the ocean and the wind, to cars, trucks, airplanes, and our bodies walking, running, dancing. Throughout history, we ve observed motion in the natural world and invented our own ways to move ourselves and other things. Now s your turn to use your Bits to invent something that moves. YOU CAN CREATE: A breakfast delivery bot A vehicle that zips and zooms A gadget that does your chores
MAKE IT MOVE INVENTION CHALLENGE? wings feet 1 BRAINSTORM YOUR INVENTION. Is it an animal? A person? Does it move or speak or breathe? How do you want it to look? 2 SHOW YOUR CREATION TO YOUR FRIENDS. How do you want them to react? 3 TRY CHANGING THE COLOR OR USE LIGHT TO CHANGE THE APPEARANCE. What else could your creation accomplish? 4 ENTER THIS CHALLENGE! Make a video of your invention in action, and share your creation with a community of inventors!
HELPFUL TOOLS & MATERIALS THE WORLD AROUND YOU IS FULL OF MATERIALS FOR PROTOTYPING AND CREATING INVENTIONS. At littlebits, we dig through our recycling bins all the time to collect stuff for our inventions. In fact, the very first prototype of a Bit was made with cardboard, copper tape, and a few electronic components like LEDs. Here s some of our favorite stuff to work with: string Phillips-head screwdriver craft sticks rubber bands pipe cleaners milk carton ruler cardboard tubes cardboard
paper or plastic cups scissors sketchbook construction toys markers cereal box masking tape plastic bottle paper
LET THE GAMES BEGIN! UNLOCK CHALLENG AND FUN ON THE AP INVENT A ROBOTIC PEACOCK INVENT A PINBALL GAME INVENT A KEYTAR INVENT A RACING INCHWORM 29 *APP MAY DIFFER FROM SCREENSHOTS SHOWN. + 1000 S MORE ON THE APP!
ES, INVENTIONS, P. WINNING NING 1 2 GET THE FREE APP. Create your account to make it off icial. FIND MORE FUN. See tons of cool inventions you can build with your kit. 3 ENTER YOUR FIRST CHALLENGE. You could win free stuff! 30
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